Mirzapur 3 review: Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi starrer web series loses its spunk

The zing is gone! For fans of the hit franchise Mirzapur, it has been a long wait. Four years after Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Golu (Shweta Tripathi) gunned down Munna (Divyenndu) and dethroned Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi) from Mirzapur's highest position, the hit web series is back to take the story from the hinterland forward. With two key characters gone (one quasi-missing actually), Mirzapur 3 begins on a grim note and never really scales higher in the 10 episodes of this new season. Making a part three to two already hit seasons is a risk, the curiosity is high and most tend to compare the new season to the previous ones. So does Mirzapur Season 3 match up to the expectations? Let's find out.

Guddu and Golu are now the rulers of Mirzapur after Munna's death while Kaleen Bhaiya is missing. While Guddu, always using the brawn more than the brain, is quick to claim the throne of Mirzapur, his adviser and the more calculative Golu feels that unless Kaleen Bhaiya's body is found, they can't fully claim the seat of power. There is also unrest in the Purvanchal as Munna's widow and newly appointed CM, Madhuri (Isha Talwar) wants to make the state violence-free.

With Kaleen Bhaiya's wife, Bina's help Guddu and Golu can take over his home and his factory but Sharad (Anjum Sharma) poses as Guddu's biggest threat. Guddu's family meanwhile is also dealing with a crisis where his father has surrendered himself to the cops, for killing the local cop.

Stakes are higher as with Kaleen Bhaiya gone, everyone is keen to claim the Mirzapur throne and cement their position in the Purvanchal as the leader of all the warlords- but with CM Madhuri's new policies, divided camps, and uncertainty around Kaleen Bhaiya's whereabouts, things look bleak for both Sharad and Guddu.

The blood and gore are still there but Mirzapur Season 3 is much more sombre as compared to the previous two seasons. The first three episodes, when multiple plots and characters are established are slow and unlike the usual episodes of Mirzapur. The series has always been about multiple characters eyeing the coveted Mirzapur throne. While the third season remains true to the core story, it is slightly exhausting to keep pace with the multiple characters and subplots.

I found myself, like many other fans of the series, terribly missing Divyendu and his superb act as Munna Bhaiya. Munna and Kaleen, the nemesis of Guddu, Bablu (Vikrant Massey in the first season) and subsequently Golu were the essence of Mirzapur. With one gone and one appearing only after three episodes, the whole onus falls on Guddu, Golu and to some extent Bina to take the story forward. They are after all part of the original cast and the audience has seen their characters evolve through seasons. Yet, in the third season, Rasika Dugal as Bina gets only limited scope to shine as her character is not fully fleshed out.

The women get more prominence in the third season. In a world dominated by gun-wielding abuse hurling men, Mirzapur's female characters were initially depicted as the supportive cast. But the third season has women taking charge. Dimpy, Guddu's sister comes out of her brother's shadow, Golu plays the mastermind, Bina forges ahead to claim what is her own, Madhuri plots to seek revenge and set things straight and even Guddu's second wife Shabnam takes charge of her father's empire even as Lala himself waits in jail to get bail.

Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi and Anjum Sharma get the maximum screen time and deliver credible performances even though the screenplay is jaded. I wanted to see more of Liliput, Vijay Verma and Rasika Duggal's characters on screen but the the chaotic narrative never allowed these actors to fully flex their talent. Pankaj Tripathi seems to take a backseat in the new season as well and lets the younger lot take charge, much like the characters in the series.

Divyendu's absence looms large on Mirzapur 3. The character Munna was well-written and performed with utmost honesty by Divyendu. For years, Mirzapur has dominated conversations and become a part of meme culture. Some of the characters from the show have gained legend-like status. But the third season lacksthe spunk of the previous seasons. Sure the violence, the gore, and the core story are intact, but with Munna's death, the spunk of the show has gone.

Mirzapur Season 3 is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.